Signs point to Bruce Gradkowski starting on Sunday

Posted by Mike Florio on November 26, 2010, 9:08 PM EST

In an Associated Press item published earlier today, Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell was quoted as saying that he isn’t concerned about being benched during games, even though it has happened twice this year.

It could be that he’s not concerned about being benched this weekend against the Dolphins because he already knows he won’t be starting.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Bruce Gradkowski took most if not all of the first-team reps this week, typically a sign that the quarterback who took the reps will be starting the game.

Campbell isn’t named on the injury report, so it’s not as if Gradkowski got the snaps because Campbell isn’t healthy.

That said, the Raiders have said nothing about a switch to Gradkowski. On Friday, coach Tom Cable addressed the situation from the perspective of Campbell getting the start and then being yanked for Gradkowski.

“We talk about a lot of things all the time [and] he is OK with where we’re going and what we’re doing,” Cable said of Campbell. “He understands it’s the job. It comes with it.”

As for Cable, he possibly doesn’t understand that owner Al Davis is a Campbell guy. So why hasn’t Davis pulled rank? It could be that the coach widely presumed to have gotten himself off the hot seat remains firmly planted on it, and that Davis is given Cable every opportunity to turn up the heat on his own rear end.

19 responses to “Signs point to Bruce Gradkowski starting on Sunday”

As for Cable, he possibly doesn’t understand that owner Al Davis is a Campbell guy. So why hasn’t Davis pulled rank? It could be that the coach widely presumed to have gotten himself off the hot seat remains firmly planted on it, and that Davis is given Cable every opportunity to turn up the heat on his own rear end.———————————————– It seems obvious to me that you and every other member of the media has a better understanding of the inner workings at 1220 Harbor Bay Pkwy in Alameda. Why else would you make statements like the above? You’re a genius…

More like the coach has proven he can win with the team and has proven that he can make decisions without the puppet label but, hey, let’s only assume the status quo and, also, ignore the past draft that wasn’t covered with Al’s finger prints…

I cant stand Campbell with that scared deer in the headlights-WTF look in his eyes after another 3 and out. Then he heads to the bench and sits by himself.

This Bruce starting rumor has been around for almost a day. But part of it was Jackson wanted Bruce and got his way over Cable. The way we all have been hearing it is Cable was the Bruce guy. Jackson also wanted him but stopped pushing it to the real Coach Davis. That Davis wanted his V2.0 Jim Plunkett.

Any way I hope Cable told Al to shove Campbell starting. That vanilla game plan on O & D last week reeked of Coach Davis fingerprints on it.

Tom Cable doesn’t seem like someone that’s going to tolerate being pushed around. Jason Campbell is just painful to watch at times and if Cable thinks Bruce gives him a better chance to win, he’s going to go that direction despite Al the Crypt-Keeper’s objections.

The Raiders have top three talent thanks to that drafting beast, Al Davis!
Cable coaching them down to a 14-24 record is the problem. Al should fire Cable and hire a real Head Coach like the Asst Secondary Coach from Cal Poly or somebody.

WTF? Davis is a “winning” guy, not necessarily a Campbell guy and Gradkowski gives us he best chance. Frankly I was suprised when Campbell was announced as the starter, he sucks compared to Gradkowski.

It amazes me how you all write your own anti-Al script week after week, ignoring facts, and the obvious if it does not suit your fantasyland view of the Raiders.

He isn’t. If anything the injury to Gradkowski’s throwing shoulder is in play here and has kept him out for the ONE week since he was declared fit to play. He is a pop-gun to being with, if he is less than 100% throwing I might let Campbell start too, but you can bet as soon as Gradkowski is full on, he will be in there. Sorry they didn’t share details with you fiction writers.

The other thing at work here is Cable throwing all you mediots a flying bird-flip and issuing disinformation. He stiffed NFLN because fat mouthed Sapp is on the show and constantly talks out his rear about the Raiders. You never covered that either. I’m sure you saw it because you link most other raider reports from sfgate.
That might be the biggest story here, but again, don’t let it interfere with the predetermined script you have for the Raiders.

The Raiders, the good, the bad and whatever elese, have AD’s fingerprints all over them. Last year’s draft was his just like every other personnel decision. On the field, he is letting the coaches he hired do their job.

I love it, how one man like Mr Al Davis could have done so much damage to so many Fans from across the country and for it to lasted so long is just beautiful.

Most people that have always towed the line their entire Life. The ones that look in the mirror and see just another dull cookie cutter type who’s wife’s long for another’s touch, dull. They resent when they see an individual that really has a pair.

The scars on the school children from the bullies in their youth never seem to go away. All the time you give Al Davis and he does not even know you are alive, love it.

Let’s pray Bruce gets the start and remains healthy throughout the remainder of the season. The dude moves the offense consistently down the field, something Campbell has yet to master under this offense.

I love it, how one man like Mr Al Davis could have done so much damage to so many Fans from across the country and for it to lasted so long is just beautiful.

Most people that have always towed the line their entire Life. The ones that look in the mirror and see just another dull cookie cutter type who’s wife’s long for another’s touch, dull. They resent when they see an individual that really has a pair.

The scars on the school children from the bullies in their youth never seem to go away. All the time you give Al Davis and he does not even know you are alive, love it.
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As long as they are winning I personally don’t care who starts. But for some reason Gradkowski has earned some sort of undying trust from much of Raider Nation.

Quite frankly it doesn’t make much sense. The guy has won only 2 games he’s started in his career as a Raider (last year). He hasn’t won a game he’s started this year and he’s never played more than 4 games without getting hurt.

He’s 5-14 in his career as a starter.

Gradkowski’s biggest strength is his ability to come off the bench and provide a spark to a struggling offense. Keep using him that way.

How much of a stat-tool are you? Gradkowski has moved the team 1000% more thaan zombie-face Campbell. But you’d have to watch a game and interpret football to figure that out. If you can’t have a stat, you have no comprehension. You are the epitome of what is wrong with the modern day fan and misuse of the superfluous data that is out there.